Golden Sun: War of Sages
by ben-ha-meen
Summary: Four hundred years have passed since the light of the Golden Sun returned to Weyard. Now, in a time wracked by political instability and the looming threat of war, Isaac's descendants find themselves following in his footsteps.
1. Prologue

Author's Notes: This is a story that I started writing a few years ago, before I got a case of writer's block that has lasted for two years. Just recently, though, the block lifted, and I've been writing once again.

However, the idea for this story has been in my head for much longer than the written form. While I started writing the _War of Sages_ story only about a year-and-a-half ago, the entire plot has existed in my mind since I beat _The Lost Age_, which was _**way**_ back in the day.

Unlike a lot of other Golden Sun 3 fics, this one is more or less devoid of characters from the original games...which makes sense, considering how it takes place 417 years after the end of _TLA_ (yes, I got that specific...). This first chapter is actually a brief explanation of some of the background info you'll need to know, like what happened to the characters of the games, and some of the events that have happened in the years since then. I was once criticized for this first prologue, and I do admit, the way I wrote it just reeks of "History Lesson," but this is really the only way I knew to get all the info in there.

Once you've read this here little boring, overly specific lesson in my version of the Golden Sun universe (it genuinely amazed me to reread this and realize how much detail I paid to giving specific years...), the first _true_ chapter will be yours for the taking.

--Ben

P.S. - Feel free to tell me if I make a typo. In fact, I encourage it. I check these chapters a lot before I finally post them, but even then I'm not sure if I catch them all.

* * *

_**Prologue**_

After Isaac and his companions returned from Prox, they found that Vale had been totally annihilated, sunken under the ground along with Mt. Aleph. To their own happiness, however, not a soul was harmed in the incident, and under the shining light of the Golden Sun they had restored, the town of Vale was rebuilt.

Following the reconstruction, each of the heroes involved parted ways. Sheba and Ivan left together, both seeking answers to their past, and lived in Contigo with Ivan's elder sister, Hama for a time. Hama would return to Lama Temple in time, and afterwards, they left to their hometowns to finish their lives in peace.

Piers, who had been banished from his home of Lemuria many months before, remained in Vale for a while, then left mysteriously one night. The rumors that he was brought back into Lemuria in secret would last for decades after his leaving.

Mia, disheartened by the betrayal they all suffered at the hands of her clansmate Alex, left immediately for Imil, and with a calm hand, ensured that none of the few remaining members of the Mercury Clan followed in his footsteps. Garet, despite pressure from his family to remain in Vale, left with her, although he came home often. The two were ultimately wed and had a son, who would grow to be extraordinarily powerful in his teenage years.

Isaac and Jenna were also wed, although they stayed in Vale. They lived with Felix, who had feared that the townspeople would reject him. Much to his happiness, he was welcomed with open arms, and would ultimately become "Uncle Fewix" to Isaac and Jenna's daughter.

Kraden, distraught by the death of Lord Babi, left for Tolbi immediately to pay his respects. He would go on to advise Iodem, who took over after Babi as had been his last request. During his last days, the scholar became burdened with a terrible truth.

Alex was nowhere to be seen, but if he had truly gleaned the powers of the Stone of Sages, he may have had the power to survive the sinking of Mount Aleph. Laying on his death bed some six years after the event that became known as the "Return", Kraden confessed this to Iodem.

Iodem did his best to try and track down the traitor, but it was to no avail. He couldn't get to Mt. Aleph, partially because of the Golden Sun's unbridled power, and partially because the site of the old Vale had become a construction zone.

Under the instruction of the Wise One, a new lighthouse was being built. Dubbed the Sol Lighthouse, this structure would become the new Sol Sanctum, which was buried beneath the earth along with Mt. Aleph. It would also serve as the housing point for the Stone of Sages when it appeared.

At the same time of the construction of the Sol Lighthouse, the other lighthouses were being added onto. Temples were built near each of the lighthouses, under the authority of the Wise One, and Iodem ultimately had to give up his search to help the construction of the Venus Temple from the ruins of Babi Lighthouse.

Each of the temples was set in a hallowed place. The Mercury Temple was built in the side of a mountain west of Imil, where the first Mercury clansmen had lived during the Lost Age. The ancient tunnels under Babi Lighthouse served as the Venus Temple's skeleton. In the center of the crater left behind when the City of the Anemos became the Moon, the Jupiter Temple was built. The people of Prox, in the highest form of honor they knew, placed the Mars Temple on the place where Saturos, Agatio, Karst, and Menardi first became warriors, just north of Mars Lighthouse, at the edge of the gulf at the end of the world.

None of the people of Weyard knew the purpose of these Elemental Temples, however. They simply assumed that since the Wise One, a known deity, had suggested they be built, they had some importance beyond their understanding. In fact, their role was very simple.

Unbeknownst to the entire world, a small portion of the Stone of Sages had been stripped from Alex, placed inside of Isaac. It passed down his lineage, being held by the youngest Venus Adept in his bloodline. Nothing ever seemed to indicate its presence; the strength of the people his blood flowed in wasn't abnormal, they showed no strange reactions around objects with Psynergetic charges, and no amount of sensing could reveal the Stone's presence. And so life continued on, as Alchemy brought about growth and prosperity to all of Weyard...

Two hundred ninety-seven years later, or year 292 of the Neo-Golden Age Calendar:

Prox and Vale finally make true peace, as the two Adept villages had been at odds with each other ever since the Return. That summer, a huge, four day celebration is planned in Sol Lighthouse, known as the Sol Festival. People from all across Weyard gather to join in the pleasures of true brotherhood. The Sol Festival is so successful, the people of Vale decide to have it each summer from there on.

Year 303 N.G.A.:

A small group of Kolimans travel into the evergreen covered forests that have grown up southwest of Vault, intent on making a bundle in lumber sales. They name the forest and their town after Kolima's current patriarch, Daig.

Year 322 N.G.A.:

A Proxean soldier is killed by a warrior of Shaman Village, traveling south into Hesperia to meet up with an old friend from Shaman. Prox's leader hastily orders a company of soldiers to destroy the Shaman's feeble military. Three years later, Vale withdraws its ties of friendship with Prox, and shuts them out of the Sol Festival, which has grown to be even more successful than Colosso.

Year 334 N.G.A.:

After years of social instability in light of the battles with Shaman, Prox's leader draws all of the Mars Clan together in the Mars Temple. In preparation for the possible attack that could follow, the majority of Weyard's towns form militias, while those with existing armies strengthen their military might; and yet, for many years afterwards, nothing is seen or heard of the once feared Fire Clan of the North.

Year 367 N.G.A.:

Tolbi, which has grown more and more feeble each year since the reign of Babi and Iodem, elects a new mayor. Damian, a strong young man who served in the Tolbian Army, takes over, and within months, he reaches popularity rivaling that of Babi himself. Healing the wounds that past rulers had made in their search for pleasure, Damian turns Tolbi into a world power again in only the span of a few months.

Year 376 N.G.A.:

Prox comes out of its withdrawal and appoints a new leader, a young commoner named Mardinol. Mardinol immediately begins diplomatic meetings with Vale, hoping to repair the rift between them. He also tries to heal ties with other Adept cities, namely Contigo and the newly-reformed Lalivero, a hotbed for the remnants of the once thought long dead Venus Clan. The same year, Mardinol's wife gives him his first child.

Year 377 N.G.A.:

A baby boy is born in Daig with a level of power stronger than a full-grown man's straight out of his mother's womb.

Year 383 N.G.A.:

Vale finally agrees to reform its bond of brotherhood with Prox, as do Contigo and Lalivero. The Sol Festival for that year is the most successful in decades. However, Daig is conspicuously unrepresented. The mother of the overwhelming strong child born six years ago has given birth again, this time to die shortly afterwards. Her second son has such a low level of power, he can scarcely be considered an Adept. Strangely, the older child leaves the town briefly one night. He is found the next morning in a circle of fallen trees, all of which were standing the previous night.

Year 386 N.G.A.:

On the very last day of the Sol Festival, the current holder of the Stone's power in Isaac's lineage gives birth to twins; one boy and one girl. The boy, a Venus Adept whom they christen Caleb, receives the power instantly. A new carrier for the Stone is now in the world.

Year 399 N.G.A.:

A strange string of devastating assaults on Hesperia's northern plains catch the attention of the world. Prox is immediately blamed, but is forgiven when it is realized that these attacks are being done by someone with Venus powers. Lalivero immediately sends troops to aid, hoping to avoid being blamed.

Year 401 N.G.A.:

While Lalivero searches for the Venus-wielding assailant of Hesperia, an outbreak of Jupiter assaults plague the Eastern Sea. The small, recently formed volcanic island of Forsica is immediately searched, as it appeared to be the most likely place for a base of operations. None who were sent ever came back.

Year 405 N.G.A.:

Caleb, now a young man, starts to exhibit strange behavior in the presence of Psynergy Stones. The most noticeable side-effect of exposure is a sudden, sharp increase in his total level of power, which is normally rather low. His twin sister, Sarah, grows more worried about him with every passing day.

It is now the year 406. Adepts make up roughly half of Weyard's population, and the numbers keep rising with each new birth. The summer months are fast turning to fall, and it is time for the Sol Festival. In light of recent events, there is not expected to be a good turnout this year. However, to the twins, now 20 years old, this is the least of their worries. On the first day of the festival, an enigmatic figure appears in Vale, searching for the two of them...


	2. Festival of Happiness, Bearer of Sorrow

Chapter One:

_**Festival of Happiness, Bearer of Sorrow**_

Caleb's eyes slowly flickered open as he lay on his bed. The room was dull and hazy; the window was not letting sunlight in, but the sight of clouds and drizzle. The very atmosphere of the house was sleepy; it was all he could do to keep himself from falling asleep again. In a drowsy attempt to get to his feet, the groggy Valean sat up on the edge of his bed. Rubbing his eyes, Caleb sighed sleepily. "What a way to start the Festival," he groaned, getting up to his wash basin.

Cupping the water in his hands, Caleb splashed it into his eyes several times, trying to truly wake himself up. Reaching for his towel, he rubbed his face dry, then threw the cloth into the floor and went to his wardrobe.

After ripping off the undershirt he wore to bed, he put on a new one, as well as a loose-fitting red tunic over it. After some groping around in his closet, he finally pulled free his brown denim pants. After even more digging, he pulled out his socks. _I guess Sis is right, _he thought. _I probably do need to clean out the ol' closet. But it can wait 'til the festival ends, I think._

Returning to his wash basin, Caleb took one look at himself in the mirror. His muscles were rather defined in his tunic; that had been the idea behind him wearing it. His dirty blond hair was sticking out in every possible direction, almost to the point that there was no point in combing it. Sighing, Caleb put his hand in the basin, cupped out some water, and rubbed it in his hair. Picking up his comb, he did just a good enough job of taming it to reduce the number of spikes down to the three large ones he had instead of bangs. Looking at himself again, his reflection's bright blue eyes staring right back, he smiled with satisfaction. Those spikes were a sign of Isaac's blood; almost every Venus Adept in his line had them.

He was almost ready for the day. Returning to his bed, he picked up an old, ripped glove made from black leather that lay on his nightstand. Sliding the ragged protection on his right hand, Caleb felt totally dressed now, minus his boots. The glove's only purpose was to help him hold a machete when he did chores, but he'd grown so accustomed to wearing it, he felt naked if he didn't have it on.

Now that he felt a bit better, Caleb left his room, picking up his scarred leather boots on the way out. Taking light steps down the stairs, he stopped only when he reached the kitchen. Taking a seat in one of the oak chairs by the table, he put on the heavy shoes, looking up only when Sarah came down from her room.

Sarah wasn't wearing anything festive, like she normally did during the festival. Rather, she was wearing her everyday clothing; a maroon and black, sleeveless shirt that formed to her figure somewhat, and a white skirt that came to her knees. She wore shiny black boots that stopped just below her kneecap; together with her dress, they kept the great number of perverts that came to Vale this time of year from looking at her legs. Her maroon hair was, as always, neatly combed and straightened. She had a grin on her face, but she always did this time of year.

"Somebody's in a good mood this morning," Caleb chuckled.

Sarah outright laughed in reply. "What's not to be happy about? I mean, sure, it's raining outside, but it's the Festival! This is the best time of year!" she said gleefully.

Caleb nodded in agreement, but somehow, he wasn't totally certain of that. Something was conspicuously absent from the house this morning. "Where's Dad at?" he asked, suddenly changing to a more serious, concerned tone.

Sarah looked at him with exasperation. "He's helping set up the Lighthouse for all the festivities," she said dully. "Almost everyone is. Gosh, Caleb, where in Weyard did you drop your brain off at?!"

Caleb didn't feel insulted; he just disregarded the comment with an explanation. "Last night, before I went to sleep, I heard him talking to somebody down here." Sarah's eyes widened. "I couldn't pick up much of what they were saying, but Dad didn't seem want to talk to him much at all. I'm just a little worried."

Sarah pulled out a chair and sat beside him. "I'm sure it was just a weirdo from out of town or something. You know how they are," she said reassuringly, stroking her hand through Caleb's spiky locks. Caleb simply turned his head to the side, looking out the window.

"Rain's picking up. I bet the street is pure mud by now," he said, trying to change the subject. Sarah nodded. Standing up, he started towards the door. "You wanna go do something?"

Sarah got to her feet. "If you can find something to do," she said dryly. "Everyone's helping at the Lighthouse. We could go up there, but..." her voice trailed off.

"We'd have to help, and that'd kill us out for the party," he finished. It was well known that the second day of the Festival was always the busiest. Most everybody who helped out on the first day was too tired to stay long, if they even stayed for the festivities at all.

"Right," Sarah said. "What is there to do, anyways? It's raining, so we can't go to the field, and the inn's too crowded to hang out there..."

"Then we just hang around here," Caleb finally said, rubbing his stomach. "Besides, I just got hungry. You want something to eat?" he asked. Sarah shook her head. "Suit yourself." With that, he opened the cupboard and pulled out a jar full of jelly and a loaf of bread. Cutting off a few large slices of bread, he looked back at Sarah.

He didn't have to say anything. Sarah just sighed, walked over to him, and picked up the bread. Channeling Psynergy through her hands and into the bread, she made it into toast in a few moments. Giving back the toast to her brother, she said sarcastically, "Your meal, O Great One."

Caleb laughed. "Thanks," he replied, genuine in his saying it. He took the bread knife and smeared some jelly on the bread, then put what remained of the loaf and the jelly jar back into the cupboard again. "You sure you don't want anything?" he asked again.

Sarah shook her head. "I'm not really hungry, Caleb. Really. I dunno, I guess I'm too excited to eat," she yawned. "Either that, or I'm just not ready to eat. I think I could've used a little more sleep than what I got." Caleb had to agree with her as he yawned afterwards.

"We could always just catch a little nap," he suggested. Sarah, who was yawning again, had to agree with him. Following Caleb's quick snack, the two of them then went upstairs, into their own rooms, and fell asleep.

* * *

Caleb awoke to the sound of voices. Faint voices, coming from downstairs. He couldn't understand them over the rain, which had grown from a drizzle to a full-fledged storm in his sleep, but he could pick out each individual voice.

One of them belonged to Mitchell, his father. He had apparently returned from the Lighthouse sometime during his nap, which made him wonder how long he'd really been asleep. His voice was usually full of cheer; now, it was in a tone of frustration, bordering on aggression. The very thought of his old man getting angry shocked Caleb.

Another of the voices belonged to Sarah. Much like their father's, hers was full of emotion; in her case, worry. Getting up quickly, somewhat panicked by the strange turn of events, Caleb stopped cold when the third voice came in.

It was identical to the voice he'd heard speaking with his dad the night before. It was cool, relaxed...and somehow, it was the most unnerving thing he'd ever heard. Breaking into a full-fledged run, he rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Hiding behind the table, staying quiet as a grave, he decided it was best to eavesdrop before he showed himself in the den with the rest of them.

"...asleep. He's been like that since this morning," Sarah said.

"I don't care. When he wakes up, I want to see him," the mystery voice retorted.

_Me? Why the heck does he wanna see me?!_ Caleb thought, a feeling of cold growing in the pit of his stomach.

"You have no business seeing my son, Sir!" Mitchell yelled, furious. "You have no business with any of us, for that matter! Now, for the last time, _get out of my house!" _he screamed.

"Tch. So be it. You don't know how foolish you are, though," the enigma's voice spat. A few moments later, the door slammed. Caleb was absolutely horrified. _Keep it together, ol' boy. It's just some nut from Lunpa or somewhere, _he told himself. His concentration was broken when Mitchell's voice came into the room.

"Come on, Caleb. You can get out of the kitchen now," he said blatantly. It didn't surprise the young Valean that his father knew he was there; he was ready to face the consequences for his eavesdropping.

Walking out into the den, he looked at Mitchell with a panicked gaze. Mitchell was not from Isaac's bloodline, nor was he a Venus Adept. His black hair was slicked back, although one of his bangs had fallen loose, presumably from his working at the Lighthouse. He wore a white, stained undershirt; his tunic was laying on the chair beside him. His pants were exactly like Caleb's, and if it weren't for the many scars on them, his boots would be, too.

Looking into his son's eyes, Mitchell asked calmly, "How much did you hear?"

"Just a little bit. He left after a few sentences." Caleb was hastily spitting out the words.

"Whoa now, Caleb, calm down!" his father said, placing his hand firmly on his son's shoulder. "It's nothing to get worked up over. He's just some idiot from out of town, probably heard about you when he came in and decided to pull a stupid prank. Nothing to be worried about."

Caleb nodded feebly, slowly releasing the tension he'd felt for the last few minutes. "What time is it?" he asked, wanting desperately to take his mind off the "stupid prank".

"Time for you and Sarah to head up to the Lighthouse. The Festival won't start for another couple hours, but everything is prepped and ready. I think now would be the best time to go if I were you," Mitchell replied, returning to his calm, normal self.

Sarah nodded. Grabbing her brother's hand, she yanked him right out of his father's grip and dragged him to the door. "Wait, Sis!" Caleb protested. "I don't have my cloak! I can't get wet, can I?"

Sarah stopped. "Oh, yeah, that's right," she said happily. It was like the encounter with the stranger only minutes before was totally forgotten. She ran upstairs for a moment, then returned with two hooded cloaks. Throwing the bigger of them to Caleb, she put her own on in mid-step.

Caleb put his on, then opened the door. "Ladies first," he joked, swinging his arm at the ground and bowing as Sarah left. As soon as she was outside, he looked at Mitchell. "See ya, Dad." With that, he closed the door and stepped into the street.

Outside, the rain was coming down at a fairly heavy rate; it had turned the street into nothing but a brown slimy path, just as Caleb had predicted that morning. A few scattered footprints were here and there, filled with muddy water, and a single wagon trail passed in the muck. On a good year for the Festival, the street would still be filled with people at this time; in light of the recent sieges across Weyard, though, the twins were the only persons present.

Sarah's perky attitude suddenly dropped down to a simple feeling of cheer when she saw the emptiness. "Caleb," she whispered, despite the lack of eavesdroppers, "do you remember the Festival the year Mom died?"

Caleb's recovering happiness suddenly stopped dead in its tracks. "Sarah...why do you ask? That was a horrible year...I don't want to think about it," he muttered, glaring at Sarah as he said the last words.

That didn't stop her from continuing. "It's just...that year, every town in Weyard had someone here. The streets were always full for the entire Festival with people coming in...but now, it's like a ghost town..." she murmured, hanging her head.

"Sarah...don't cry. Please, for the love of all that's holy, don't cry!" Caleb heard himself squeak out the last few words. He had only seen Sarah cry once, immediately after their mother passed away eight years ago, and it scarred him for life. If any girl started to cry around him now, he would do anything to stop them, mostly because he'd start crying with them. "Ugh, Sis, listen...listen to me, Sis..." he prodded, but it was to no avail. Right there, in the middle of the streets, she just broke down and started sobbing. A few seconds later, so did Caleb.

With a reddened face, Caleb tried to cheer up the mood. Lifting his sister's head with his gloved hand, he smiled into her tear-filled eyes. "Now, listen to me," he sobbed, "you said it yourself. This is a time for happiness. We shouldn't be crying. Mom wouldn't want it. Now come on," he stood up, "let's go."

Sarah wiped the water from her eyes, then took his extended hand and stood back up. As soon as the two turned around, however, they stopped immediately.

A man in a cloak that covered his entire body stood in front of them, his face covered by the shadow of the hood. Only his mouth was visible; it was cocked into a creepy half-smile. "Well, this is a teary little moment. I'm all choked up," he sneered.

Sarah immediately grew tense. "Caleb, that's the guy," she whispered. "That's the man who wanted to know where you were."

Caleb felt his stomach wrench. _That's the guy?! _he thought, a great terror seizing him. Trying to act undaunted, Caleb returned as strong a reply as he could muster. "What's the matter with you? Acting like that in front of a lady!"

"Shut it, Caleb. I know damn well you know who I am," the enigma retorted coldly. "Or, at least...you know what I want." His mouth curled into a twisted grin. "Now, whatsay we just cut the crap and get down to business?"

Caleb's heart raced, his fear growing with every passing second. "Who-who are you?" he spat quickly, stepping between the shady figure and Sarah in an instinctive reaction to protect her. "Why do you want to see me so badly?"

The cloaked man lifted his hand out of the side of his garb, exposing a strong, muscular arm. In his fingers, he gently flipped around a small, purple gem. It was no larger than an amethyst, and if it wasn't for the aura surrounding it, it could've very easily have been passed off as one.

_A Psynergy Stone?! What in blazes is going on here?! _his thoughts echoed as he entered a defensive stance. Extending his hand forwards, he yelled defiantly, "I don't know what you plan on doing, but I warn you, I will fight if you so much as take a step towards us!"

"A step, eh? If you're so determined to protect yourself, let's say I get about a..." the mystery man's smile expanded into a manic grin. "Stone's throw away!" he shrieked, slinging the Alchemical gemstone directly at Caleb. In retaliation, Caleb screamed out the name of the first Psynergy that came to his mind.

"Earthquake!" he cried. It wasn't an Earthquake that was unleashed, though. The Stone had hit him in the hand as soon as the Psynergy left him. In an instant, his power skyrocketed; the Earthquake transformed into a highly focused bolt of sword-like energy right in front of him. _Ragnarok! That isn't supposed to happen! Last time a Stone was near me and I did that, it was a Quake Sphere! Gods above, what is wrong with me?!_

The sword crashed into the street, throwing up mud and slime with its explosion. Looking through the flash of light with wonder and fear, Caleb saw his stalker had vanished. His hand burning with the overwhelming power that had suddenly taken him, he tore off the glove and blew on it repeatedly, trying to ease the pain. After a few moments, when the discomfort had become tolerable, he slipped his hand into the glove again. "Did I kill him?" he asked Sarah.

Sarah shook her head, still awestruck and frightened by the events that had just unfolded. "I don't think so," she said hesitantly. "He disappeared right before the attack hit."

Caleb felt a strange mix of relief and a greater horror. He hadn't killed a man, that was always a blessing, but this one might've been better off dead. Whatever the case, he knew what they had to do. "Come on, we've gotta get to the Lighthouse," he ordered, his emotions guiding his speech. "If anywhere, we'll be safe from that freak there."

Taking her brother's words to heart, Sarah ran ahead, Caleb fast on her heels. They knew that the strange explosion of power in the streets would bring about questions. They knew that as long as the Festival continued, and possibly afterwards, the obsessive enigma would haunt them. They didn't care. They just needed to feel safe.

Behind them, shielded from their vision by their own haste to look ahead to the Lighthouse, a lone figure came from the other side of one of the neighboring houses. He walked out into the street, his cloak hiding his identity. Standing near the very spot where Caleb's Psynergy had grown exponentially, he knelt to search for something. A moment later, he pulled out a small, gray stone from the mud. It had once been a Psynergy Stone, but now it was little more than a loose collection of dust. Crushing it in his hand, a wicked smile seized his face.

"So, you're the kid I'm looking for? Caleb...you have no idea how much finding you has pleased me. If only you could live to see it. Ah well. It's not my fault that in the festival of happiness, a bearer of sorrow must visit."


	3. Life Shatters

Chapter Two:

_**Life Shatters**_

"Is he back there?" Caleb asked, panting and gasping for breath.

"No, I don't think so," Sarah replied, equally tired. At the bottom of the jagged cliff they stood on, Vale was a small, closely knit congregation of houses. Behind them, a massive tower of grey and black stone stood, over fifty stories in height.

The Sol Lighthouse. The construct was the greatest thing ever built in Weyard's history, far surpassing the other Lighthouses in height and beauty. It was set at the site of the old Vale, where it served as a barrier to those who wanted to go into the Golden Sun's light. When it wasn't the Sol Festival, healers and other men of the cloth used its upper levels as a sacred sanctum. It was also to serve as the house of the Stone of Sages, but it had never shown. As such, it simply stood as a testament of the ingenuity of the people of Weyard.

Stepping back from the cliff's edge, Sarah wiped the muck off her cloak. Both of them were veritably soaked in mud; partially by the Ragnarok Caleb inadvertently released, but mostly because of the amount they kicked up fleeing from their shadowy assailant. If it wasn't for their cloaks, their clothes would've been ruined. Turning around, she saw that Caleb was doing the same thing.

"Why don't we just take these off when we get outside? Even if they are muddy, I don't think anyone'll care," she suggested. Caleb looked at her strangely, then looked ahead at the door to the Lighthouse.

"Why didn't I think of that?" he asked rhetorically, slapping his hand on his forehead in exasperation. Sarah giggled in response. "What?"

"Nothing," Sarah smiled. She was trying to focus on the festivities, not on their confrontation; Caleb's occasional oafishness was just one thing that kept her mind off of it. "Come on, let's get in there."

Caleb nodded, taking a deep breath. He was still tired from running, Sarah could tell, but he seemed to be getting over it. Side by side, the two approached the massive stone doors of the Sol Lighthouse.

The very gates of the Lighthouse would make any architect stare in awe, let alone its interior. They were twelve feet high and ten feet wide, hewn entirely of the blackish-grey rock that the rest of the building was, and together, the two of them formed a half-oval of sorts. The doors were engraved with patterns representing each of the four Elements; vines for Venus, flames for Mars, lightning for Jupiter, and water for Mercury. The four twisted and combined as they traveled up the doors, and at the apex of the entryway, they collided into an image of a great star, the Golden Sun, its watchful presence somehow relaxing to the twins.

Nodding to the monk who stood guard, the two of them stood for a second as the holy man opened the doors for them. Thanking him, the two entered the long corridor that led to the center of the Lighthouse. The great hall was well over fifty feet wide, its ceiling was roughly the same height as the width, its length was over one hundred yards. Every inch of the masonry was covered with a tiny, almost undetectable pattern, much like the one on the doors; only one who had a careful eye would notice them.

At the end of the hall, another door stood. It was identical to the one outside in appearance, but four times as tall and twice as wide; it made the corridor seem small when one got close to it. As with the one outside, a lone monk stood guard. The same sequence of events that had happened outside occurred with this man; a quick nod of acknowledgement, and the doors were opened wide. With this interior gate opened, the twins found themselves once again in the main room of the Lighthouse.

No matter how many times they saw it, the chamber always brought out a gasp from both of them. It was even wider across than Vale, and its ceiling was the bottom side of the Lighthouse's pinnacle; nobody had ever felt claustrophobic in the setting, even when it was jammed with people. Huge windows fifty feet across were set in four places around its side, each one marked with a large engraving of a creature on top of it; the Djinn. As with most everything about the Lighthouse, there was one to represent every Element, and the sculptures themselves were made with almost disturbing precision and accuracy to what the creatures really looked like.

Beneath each of these windows was a deep trench, set apart from the rest of the room by a high metal fence. In each of the trenches, there were three giant bronze basins, all twenty-five feet in diameter, each filled with fresh oil. When the sun set, and the Festival began, these would be lit, and turn the room into a kaleidoscope of colors. Borrowing from the Proxean's similar creation at Mars Lighthouse, each of the bowls would burn a different color to correspond with the Djinn above it: Venus burned an earthy tan, Mars a vibrant crimson, Mercury a cold blue, and Jupiter a light purple.

In the very center of the chamber, set apart from the rest of the room by another trench, was a lone column. It stood twelve feet in height, and it was about a yard wide. On top of the monument, there was a platinum basin, no larger than the one Caleb washed his face in each morning. It had four slits, one facing each of the windows, and when the night fell, oil would be poured into the bowl and would run out the slits, down the furrows in the side of the column beneath them, and into the moat around it. The oil would be lit, and to symbolize the Golden Sun, the flames would burn a blinding gold that would flicker through the entire Lighthouse and last for the whole Festival.

Wonder seized Sarah as memories of the lighting came to her. Caleb looked dazed, completely taken by the beauty of the building. They'd had this same experience every year since they were born; after all, they were born during the Festival. And yet, somehow, they always felt like this was the first time they'd ever seen the interior of the structure.

For the past six years, the Festival's turnout had been getting progressively lower as more cities tried to find the mysterious ravagers of the rest of Weyard. This year was no exception to the trend. While a good number of people were in the Lighthouse, it was nothing compared to eight years ago. If everyone who showed then had tried to get in the Lighthouse at once, they would be back out through the corridor and lined up on the outside cliff. It brought a faint disappointment to Sarah; she'd hoped that the Festival would be the one thing that didn't go downhill after their mother passed away.

"Here we are," Caleb said, interrupting her brief change of thought. His voice was, as usual for this moment, awestruck. "It's gonna start in a couple hours. We should get a good seat for the lighting!" he exclaimed. Sarah couldn't agree more.

* * *

Taking the last step up to the cliff, the enigmatic stranger looked at the structure of the Sol Lighthouse for the first time. He'd seen it from a distance many times, but never up close. It took his breath away for a second, but he shook off the daze of glory when he reminded himself of his mission.

Calmly walking up to the guard, he flicked off his hood despite the rain. His purple locks fell down to his shoulders; he stroked his hand through them to keep them off his neck. The monk cringed slightly when he smiled in greeting, which made the shade feel insulted.

Glaring at the holy man with irises that matched his hair, he barked, "What, you've never seen a man smile? I thought monks were supposed to be pleasant!" At once, the mystery man lunged into the healer for a second, then leaped back.

His hand was exposed, a small, bloody dagger gripped in his fingers. The monk lay on the ground, still alive, but dying quickly. He drooled foamy blood and couldn't breath, both signs of a lung wound. The stranger's cloak was reddened with blood now; he ripped it off and threw it on the body of his victim.

In the open, his ebon breastplate faintly rattled as raindrops pounded against it. His white denim pants had holes worn in the knees and rips around the hems; his black boots were scarred heavily, but the mud covering them was too thick to show it.

Slamming the knife into the small scabbard he wore about a chain on his neck, the enigma proceeded into the Lighthouse. "Not a single bit of courtesy for their guests. It's a wonder anyone comes to these kind of things."

* * *

Mitchell gazed up at the Lighthouse from the street. Behind him, Faust, his neighbor and family friend, was kneeling at the place where the explosion happened, gently fingering the mud for any sign of a source.

Faust was a short, fat little man with dark green eyes and shaggy, blood red hair; not an attractive person at all. Nevertheless, thanks to his way with words, he managed to be extremely popular among the ladies as a true gentlemen. However, now was a time to be serious. His silver tongue had no place to be at the moment. "Yo, Mitch," he said suddenly, standing up with a globule of sludge in his hands.

Mitchell took an interest immediately, stepping over to see what his friend had found. "See, right...here," Faust explained, rolling out a small gravel from the slime. The stone was covered with a dull gray powder; the surrounding muck was full of the same dust. "Dead Psynergy Stone. Totally drained of its charge. I'm just guessing, but from the way the powder looks, it was sucked dry before it even had time to crumble."

"Well, that confirms it," Mitchell said downheartedly. "Caleb touched it. I just can't believe it...where did the Stone even come from?" he asked, a mixture of agitation and worry in his voice.

"Beats me. All I know is that the explosion had to be from Caleb," Faust murmured, worried about hurting Mitchell's feelings. "If you stick your hand in the crater, his Psynergy is almost more noticeable than the mud," he elaborated, pointing towards a place where the street seemed to cave in on itself.

Mitchell took a few steps back, turned around, and resumed his baleful staring at the Lighthouse. "I don't believe it," he muttered a few times, then fell into silence, letting his head fall, the hood on his cloak covering his face. Faust, however, kept looking around, trying to find some sign of why Caleb would do something like that; or, even more important, where the Stone came from that gave him the power to do so.

"What have we here?" he grinned after a few moments. Mitchell turned around, both reluctant and eager to see what Faust had found. Bending down, the rotund man picked up a small piece of leather cloth from the ground. A string was patched through one side of it. Quickly passing his hand over it, checking for any sign of Psynergy, he grew into an even bigger smile. "Bingo."

"What is it?" Mitchell inquired, now genuinely curious.

"See for yourself," Faust replied, tossing the leather to Mitchell. "That thing could restore any one of us to full strength, and it's only the container. Somebody was keeping that Psynergy Stone in a pouch."

Mitchell had to admit, the level of energy in the cloth was rather high. It didn't match the Psynergy that Caleb created, either. "Someone from out of town-" he started, then stopped himself. "That man...he meant business..."

Faust looked at him with confusion. "Huh?"

"There was a stranger from somewhere, I couldn't tell where, he always wore this big cloak-" he rushed.

"Whoa now, slow down, Mitch! Take a deep breath!" Faust exclaimed, putting his arm around Mitchell's shoulder as best as the difference in their height would allow. "Now, take it from the top."

Although he was still extremely nervous, Mitchell did exactly as he'd been told. "Last night, a man in a cloak came into our house, wanting to see Caleb. Today, he did the same thing, and when I wouldn't let him, he got really mad. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the same man that had the Psynergy Stone," he explained, worry taking hold of him.

Faust's eyes immediately filled with understanding and an empathetic fury. "Someone's got it in for Caleb. I don't know how they could know about his reactions to Psynergy Stones, but that doesn't matter," he said, his voice full of command and the rage a brother feels when his sibling is hurt. "We've got to alert the Great Healer and the Mayor. Now."

"Then we'd best be heading to the Lighthouse," Mitchell said anxiously. "Both of them are up there."

Faust nodded in agreement, but turned his head about when he heard a call for a help. Mitchell heard it as well. The call emanated from the Lighthouse. It was one of the monks. "We need some help here! The guards have been attacked and we can't heal them ourselves!"

Terror pierced Mitchell's heart. He had never felt so helpless, so cold in his life. Even when his wife died, he had the hope of Caleb and Sarah to cling onto. Now, they were in danger of some madman. Without waiting for Faust, he dashed for the Lighthouse, unwilling to let anything take his family from him.

* * *

"What is it with you monks today?" the mystery man sneered, wiping the blood off his dagger. Inside the corridor of the Lighthouse, the other guard lay dead on the ground, his throat slashed all the way through; another inch farther, and he would have been beheaded. "Nobody in this town seems to get that I just wanna feel the love," he snapped at the corpse, sliding his knife into its sheath once more. Pushing his arms into the massive stone doors in front of him, he heaved with all his might, and ultimately, his path was shown.

Inside the center level, there was a great crowd of people. To the naked eye, finding anyone would take a good while, and due to sheer human nature intervening, it could be impossible. _Won't take long, _the enigma thought. Closing his eyes, he let his Psynergy do the seeing for him.

A few seconds passed, and sure enough, he found both of the twins. They were on the opposite side of the pillar in the center of the room, talking with some other Valeans about the same age. _Wait for it, _he told himself. Keeping his Psynergy locked on them, the stalker opened his eyes and found a seat for himself near the entrance.

Time was passing very slowly on the hunt. He'd only been sitting a few seconds, he knew, but it passed like hours. A minute was up, and his anxiety was boiling over. He had to remain calm, though. He was a predator for the time being, after all. No successful predator ever got rattled in the presence of its prey.

Outside, he heard a cry of some form. It was urgent enough to give him a clear mental picture of what was unfolding, though. _Someone's found the corpse. _Taking leave of his seat, he decided it was best to blend into the crowd. His Psynergy would go unnoticed; it was too faint a presence for any of the festival goers to hone in on.

Another minute passed. Sweat was starting to come off him, his nerves getting more worked up with each passing moment. He knew a good conversation could go on for a while, and he was prepared to wait, but his bloodthirsty soul was about to go insane with the suspense.

He didn't have to wait much longer. The others left, and Caleb was all alone, save for his sister. That didn't make much difference to him, though. _Just wait for them to..._ The twins turned about, making their way to large dugout nearest to them. _Now!_

* * *

Mitchell heard yells coming from the crowd, even as he raced down the corridor to the main chamber. They weren't the usual yells of pleasure and drunken outsiders, though. They were flat out screams of terror.

A nameless fear gripped his soul. He'd never felt so lost. _All the more reason to stop this before it starts, _he thought, rage and determination slowly replacing the horror he had known for the past while.

Upon entering the Lighthouse's central chamber, he saw exactly what caused the screams, and his mind went numb. For a moment, he watched without a voice as a man in fighter's garb grabbed Caleb by the neck and hoisted him into the air, knife in hand.


	4. Voices

Chapter Three:

_**Voices**_

His blood seethed with a powerful fury, but his body refused to move. In an instinctive rage against his weakness, his Psynergy was reaching its highest levels of power, but he couldn't find it within himself to use it. If he should strike, he would either miss entirely, or hurt Caleb along with his attacker.

Wracked with confusion, Mitchell stood there, dumbstruck by the scene in front of him. His eyes were wide open, his jaw hanging in a stunted gasp, the remainder of his body trembling in terror. Even Sarah's screams that pierced through the silence of the crowd did nothing to help him find strength to move.

"Mitch! Mitch, what's going on?!" Faust's voice yelled, his footsteps growing louder; he was coming down the corridor. "Dammit, Mitch, answer me!" the short man yelled once more, this time only to stop just behind Mitchell and see his answer playing out before him.

"I..." was all Mitchell could say. He stared blankly at the attack going on in front of him, even though nothing had happened. The stranger, no doubt the same as the cloaked man from earlier, simply stood his ground, flicking about the dagger he wielded like a small toy in his hands. Caleb was clutching his assailant's arm, kicking and fighting in blind fear for his life. Sarah stood only a few feet away, shrieking like a frightened child.

"Mitch...Mitch, get a grip. Come on, man, get a grip!" Faust barked, a streak of shock and fear piercing through the calm tone he tried to maintain. "If you just stand here like a knot on a log, there's no way they'll get out of this! Get your butt in gear and fight, or I'll do it for you!"

His friend's words helped his heart, but it was useless. He couldn't move, couldn't think, and could barely breathe. He knew Faust spoke the truth, but his instinctive fear was like an addiction; he knew it was best to fight it off, but he could do nothing about it.

Even as Sarah stopped screaming and her Psynergy broke through the air, he felt nothing but cold. The fires she lashed out at the enigma, stringing about the air and scattering the crowds. Her crying and trepidation. The stranger's chilling serenity as he threw Caleb to the ground and struck Sarah with his own blade...

They did nothing.

* * *

"Sarah, get outta here!" Caleb cried, his mind going blank as his twin launched bolt after bolt of flame towards their attacker. He had been released from the grasp the shade had placed around his collar; while he was falling quickly, the scene in front of him made it seem like an eternity passed before he touched the stone floor.

To his horror, the stranger made a single swift movement towards Sarah; it was a slicing blow to her left shoulder. Caleb could only watch as his sister landed on the ground with him, blood rushing down her arm.

Taking his blade and wiping it across his pants, leaving a red stain in the process, the enigma turned about and crouched to Caleb's level. His expression was one that conveyed both joy and anger; whatever psychotic desire he had, it was only halfway fulfilled.

"Now, where were we?" the shade snarled, wrenching Caleb to his feet with his free hand. The two rose quickly; Caleb felt dizzy from the sudden change in altitude, however slight it was. Without taking his eyes off his target, the warrior returned his knife to its chain-suspended holster; the same hand that had held the blade went down to a small pouch at his side.

"Hey, I just had déjà vu," the stranger chuckled as he pulled a Psynergy Stone from the sack. "What about you, Caleb? Doesn't this seem a little...weird?"

Before the Valean had time to respond, his stomach surged with a sudden impacting pain. The enigma had rammed the Psynergy Stone into Caleb's belly, only to twist its end into the soft flesh around his navel. Immediately, Caleb felt his body's energy levels soar. He was growing stronger with every painful turning of the Stone. As more blood ran from his gut, he found the strength to use Psynergy he thought he'd ever have a chance to use.

And yet his body was collapsing. He could feel it in his bones; for every new height of power his Psynergy hit, his limbs lost more and more feeling. His muscles were cramping and fluttering, and all ability to move was lost. As his head began to throb and he felt his eyes start to close in unconsciousness, he tried his hardest to fight off the feeling.

_Caleb, get it together! You can endure...you can endure...you...can..._

As his thoughts faded into nothing, Caleb's Psynergy suddenly spiked. A strange, cool feeling seemed to emanate from the point where the Psynergy Stone was breaking through his skin. His muscles quit shaking as violently, his headache eased up. For some reason, he seemed to be recovering and strengthening, not getting weaker.

And then, from what he felt was his own stomach, a golden ball of Psynergy shot into the air. It didn't appear to be his Psynergy, however; this sphere was far too powerful, and almost appeared to be solid, somewhat crystalline. The presence of the orb caught his assailant off guard, and the purple-haired warrior dropped him yet again, while the strange globe shot out through the top of the lighthouse. The last thing he saw before he hit his head on the floor was a look of overwhelming joy on his attacker's face.

* * *

Sarah noticed something odd about the air as the sphere fired itself into the air. It seemed unusually calming and restorative; in fact, there was so much energy in the air that it had healed her wound. All around her, the panicked crowds of festival goers suddenly stopped their screaming and fighting to escape, apparently feeling the influence of the object as well.

In front of her, however, Caleb's attacker was anything but calm. He was quivering with what appeared to be, of all things, excitement. His lips curled back in a twisted smile as he let out an almost childish laugh.

"So, that's all there is?" he chuckled. "That went smoothly. Just like Master said it would." The enigma cocked his head behind him a bit, staring intently at an unconscious Caleb. "And look at you, you didn't even have to die for me-" The man suddenly paused. He completely turned around to Caleb, holding his breath the entire time.

"You're not dead...you're not dead!" he finally exclaimed, almost giggling. "That means everything will be fine! I knew Master wouldn't lie to me! Oh, this is great!" He was shivering wildly by this point, and tears of joy were welling in his eyes. Just as Sarah started to get up, though, he returned his gaze to her, and almost immediately he resumed his previous cold, heartless appearance. She froze on the spot, almost falling back down again.

"Tch. Don't look at me like I'm a monster. It makes me unhappy," the shade snickered, wiping his eyes. "Besides, I'm done here. You're not in danger anymore, little girl. I only wanted Caleb, and it looks like he'll be okay. So go on, have your nice little festival. As for me," he paused, smiled slightly, then raised his head to the ceiling, "I'll be gone in a flash!"

Almost immediately, a surge of Psynergy left his body that flooded the room. A bright pulse of light emanated from him, and then, in a shower of sparks, he vanished.

* * *

"How is he?" Faust asked, his voice heavy with worry.

"I know it may not make any sense, but he's fine," the monk replied. "He's in a very deep sleep, but otherwise, he seems to be perfectly normal."

Behind him, Faust heard Mitchell let out a sigh of relief. Thanking the monk, he turned around and sat on the couch beside his friend. "I take it you heard?" he said, a faint smile crossing his face.

"I'm just...I'm just happy that he's okay," Mitchell whispered, taking deep breaths as if to fight off another random bout with crying. "This has been the worst day of my life, Faust," he said after a long pause, "I just don't want it to get worse."

"Hey, it's alright now," Faust said, patting his friend on the back. "Caleb's back in his own bed now. He's gonna be fine." There was another silence, during which he noticed something was amiss in the room. "Hey, where's Sarah?" he asked. Mitchell gave no answer, though. Snapping his fingers to Mitchell's face, he tried again. "Yo, Mitch, wake up for me. Where's Sarah?"

Mitchell shook a bit this time; it was obvious he'd drifted off in thought. "She's upstairs with Caleb. Last I checked she was just sitting beside him, holding his hand," he mumbled, his voice trailing off at the end. Once again, the two sat in silence.

_Well, this'll get me nowhere_, Faust thought. "I'm going upstairs. Wanna come?" he asked. No response. _Dang, when you think, you think hardcore._ Putting his own thoughts aside, he ran up the stairs to Caleb's room.

Just as Mitchell had said, Sarah was sitting beside her brother on his bed, gently stroking his hand. Her face was red and shined with dried tears. She only gave Faust a brief glance when he came in to acknowledge his presence, then looked back at Caleb. He was sleeping very peacefully, exactly as the monk had told him.

Slowly walking over to Sarah, he placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him for only a moment, but in that brief exchange of eye contact he could see the tears welling up again in her eyes. "It'll be okay, Sarah. It'll be okay," he mumbled. He felt her shake a bit as she started to sob.

Desperate to stop her from crying any more than she already had, Faust sat down on the bed beside her. "You know," he started, bringing up the cheeriest voice he could under the circumstances, "I'd bet he's a horrible snorer normally." Focusing on Sarah's face, he just barely caught a thin smile start to appear on her lips. _Bingo_, he thought. Keeping the subject going, he continued. "I knew it. Can't sleep with your door open, can you?" By now the faint smile had grown into a tiny grin.

Finally, he let out a loud, snoring sound. Whether it was the sound of the noise or the sight of him making it that made Sarah burst into laughter, he didn't care. At least he'd made Sarah feel better. She looked at him, her eyes no longer wet. "Thanks, Uncle Faust," she giggled. He just ran his hand through her hair quickly and smiled.

"That's better. I can't have you crying, Sarah. Caleb, your dad, none of us want that," he said. As he started to add to it, though, he noticed a faint movement out of the corner of his eye. Sarah had noticed it as well. Both were looking at Caleb's hand. It was slowly clenching around Sarah's.

Leaping from the bed almost immediately, Faust threw his head out the doorway. "Hey, everyone! He's waking!"

* * *

_Okay, this is...strange,_ Caleb thought. _Uh...where am I? This isn't the floor of the Lighthouse, I know that much. Hey, wait a second...is this my bed?_ Unable to contain his curiosity, he slowly opened his eyes.

Sure enough, he was in his bed. Standing all around him were several monks, as well as his father and Faust. Sarah was sitting on the bed beside him. Coming in the doorway, the Great Healer and another pair of monks were entering the room. His normally spacious room now seemed quite claustrophobic. "Um...hi, everyone," he winced, not completely sure of what to do.

Sitting up, he leaned up against the back railing of his bed. "So, like, what happened to me? What happened to-" he suddenly stopped himself. A panicked thought rushed through his mind. In a much more urgent tone, he restarted, "What happened to that guy? Where is he?"

Mitchell was the first to speak. He leaned in over the bed, putting his hand on Caleb's leg. "He's gone. We don't know where he went, but we do know he's not here. He..." he paused for a moment, then continued, "He used some kind of Psynergy...it teleported him away from here. There's no trace of him anywhere."

"Oh." It was all Caleb could think to say. He felt a great deal of relief, knowing that he wasn't in danger anymore, but also a nagging fear that the man could return. It made his stomach sick to think about it, so he tried to put it out of his mind. "Ok, someone fill me in on what exactly happened. Last thing I remember, there was a big ball of light flying out of my guts."

This time, his answer came from Faust. "Well, that's about it. That bastard had a happy spasm after you hit the ground, and then," he snapped his fingers, "poof. Gone. We checked on you after that, and ran you here as fast as possible. It's been a good...say, how long ago was that, anyways?" he asked to the rest of the crowd.

"Seven hours. It's approaching midnight, I believe," the Great Healer said. His voice was surprisingly powerful, and caught everyone off guard. "Yes, I'm sure of it. It's almost midnight, if not past it already. But, enough of this small talk."

"Small talk?" one monk asked. "Sir, forgive my asking, but how does explaining to Caleb the conditions of his arrival here count as 'small talk?' I would consider it quite important myself."

"True, true, it is important," the Healer replied, "but there is something more important. During the Great Light, a voice came to me. An ancient, powerful voice." Everyone in the room looked shocked. Caleb, however, was confused.

"Great Light? What?" he asked, completely disregarding the fact that the master sage was still not done speaking.

Paying his slight breach of etiquette no mind, the master sage simply changed the subject. His voice suddenly filled with a great deal of passion and zeal. "Ah, yes, the Great Light. We are told that when the Stone of Sages returns to us, and the world receives its power once again, it will come with a heavenly glow from the Golden Sun. While you were being brought back to this home, the Golden Sun suddenly became at least ten, nay, one hundred times brighter than normal!

"Something happened then that the stories do not mention, however. Without any warning at all, there was a great noise from the Sun. And while the noise grew louder, four rays of Alchemic light were fired from the peak of Mount Aleph, one to the northwest, one to the northeast, one to the southeast, and one to the southwest. The noise then ceased, and the Golden Sun returned to normal." The sage had returned to his typical tone of voice by the end of the story.

The room was silent. The Healer's voice had such great power during his explanation that even those who had seen the event firsthand were awestruck by his version of the happenings. After taking a deep breath, he returned to the topic he had started earlier.

"Now, where was I? Oh, yes, during the Light, I heard a voice. It told me that the twins and I are to go to the Lighthouse tomorrow," he said, stopping himself just as he mentioned the Lighthouse. Seeing that nobody had anything to add, he continued, "Once we are there, we must go to the Aerie. And from that point on, I know nothing."

Another silence fell on the room. Nobody seemed to be willing to say anything. After several minutes of standing around, the Great Healer turned and began to leave the room. "Come on, you all. We have much to do before the morning comes," he ordered, and the monks immediately followed him.

"Wait a minute!" Mitchell barked, his suddenly enraged voice catching nearly everyone by surprise. "That's it? That's all there is? My children are supposed to go to the top of Sol Lighthouse, just because you heard some _voice?!_"

Without even turning to face him, the Healer retorted, "Yes. That is correct. Now let us leave in peace. You need to prepare for tomorrow, as well. I have a feeling we may all need to prepare." And with those words, the sage took his first steps down the stairs.

When they heard the door close as the last of the monks left, Faust and Mitchell left the room. The two of them were obviously shaken, especially Mitchell. Caleb thought that his father would certainly have snapped by now under the circumstances. Trying to get a new line of thought, he looked at Sarah, who was still sitting beside him. He started to say something, but noticed something he hadn't before.

"Sis...how long have you been holding my hand?" he asked, beginning to feel a lump in his throat. He hadn't even noticed that, in all the excitement, he had been clutching her hand the entire time.

"Ever since we laid you down here," she whispered, a single tear going down her cheek. "I was...I was so scared...I didn't want to lose you...even when they said you would be fine, I held on. Bubby, I was so worried..." her one tear turned to many, and Caleb couldn't handle it.

Grabbing his sister in a hug, he held back his own crying to help keep her calm. "Listen to me, Sis. I'm fine. Everything will be fine now, I promise. And tomorrow, when we go to Lighthouse, everything will still be alright. I promise..."


End file.
